Urbanization

Causes and Effects

Urbanization
Urbanization refers to a process in which an
increasing proportion of a society live in cities and the
suburbs of cities. Historically, it has been closely
connected with industrialization.
Industrialization is a process that extensively uses
inanimate sources of energy to enhance human
productivity.
Following industrialization, surpluses increased in both
agriculture and industry. Larger and larger proportions
of a population could live in cities. Economic forces
were such that cities became the ideal places to locate
factories and their workers.

City or Urban Settlement

A "city" refers to a place of relatively

dense settlement -- dense enough so
that city residents can not grow their
own food resources. A city
population, therefore, is always
dependent upon its "hinterlands" to
provide it with food resources.

Causes of Urbanization
Industrial Revolution
Industrialization following the Industrial
Revolution
Emergence of large manufacturing
centers
Job Opportunities
Availability of easy transportation
Migration

Chicago in 1820
Population 15

Chicago in 1898
Population 16,98,575

Effects of Urbanization
Positive
Negative

Pluses
Benefits include reduced transport
costs, exchange of ideas, and sharing
of natural resources.
Cities act as beacons for the rural
population because they represent a
higher standard of living
Cities offer opportunities to people not
available in the countryside

Pluses
Social & Religious taboos/ sanctions
disappearing
Education is a tool to eradicate social
evils
Industrialization, Urbanization,
Education, Legislation, Secularizationsequence of development
Diffusion of urban culture to rural areas

Minuses

Industrial cities were difficult places to live in due to:

Public health issues resulting from contaminated water
and air and the spread communicable diseases due to
overcrowding.
Unemployment and under employment
Severe shortage of housing
Transportation-commuting issues, lack of public
transport, no adequate investment
Social effects - poverty, lack of opportunities,
psychological problems, alcoholism, drugs, crime,
violence and other deviant behaviors

Public health
Sanitation - the settlements were ill equipped to
handle large populations and their sanitation needs
Pollution Caused by effluents, smoke and smog
Fire hazards due to use of flammable materials
and proximity/ congestion
Epidemics - due to spread of communicable
diseases caused by contaminated water & air

Unemployment

Unemployment is the condition of

willing workers lacking jobs or "gainful
employment". Before industrialization
unemployment has been said not to
have been recognized as an issue in
rural areas, despite the "disguised
unemployment" of rural laborers having
little to do, especially in conditions of
overpopulation

Impact of unemployment on
society
Individual failure to meet financial
obligations such as purchasing food to
feed oneself and one's family, and
paying one's bills, failure to make
mortgage payments or to pay rent
may lead to homelessness.
Societal - rising unemployment
increases the crime rate

Housing
Overcrowding
Loss of privacy
Lack of housing contributes directly to
crime, stress, and family breakdown
Shortage of livable housing leading to
growth of slums
Human beings have a right to lead a
life of dignity

Transportation
Transport or transportation is the
movement of people and goods from
one place to another.
Because of the much higher densities
of people and activities in cities,
transportation is a key issue.
Inadequate/ lack of public transport
creates commuting problems leading
to loss of efficiency.

Social Effects - Poverty

Poverty is generally defined at the
individual or family level as not having
enough money to buy basic necessities.
Poverty is caused by lack of opportunities
Poverty causes malnutrition and illness; it
is a major source of mental stress and
loss of self-esteem which may lead to
depression, and have a further negative
impact on health.

Social Effects - Crime

Financial insecurity
No welfare systems in place
Lack of meaningful work (Low importance
to meaningful work and high importance
to higher profits and greater efficiency)
Anonymity -direct correlation between
higher crime rate and higher rootlessness

Urbanization in India

In India, about 38% of the population

lives in cities.
The process of urbanization is still
nascent in the Indian context.

Ancient India was a civilized society with

many urban centers and centers of learning.
Early Urbanization - Mohenjodaro
Harappa
Capitals
- Kanauj
- Ujjain
Religious Centers - Bodh Gaya
- Varanashi
University towns - Takshasila

Nalanda

Mughal Cities
Agra
Lahore
Fatehpur

Sikri
The seven cities of Delhi

Colonial Cities Delhi, Pondicherry,

Goa
Cantonment Towns Bangalore,
Secunderabad, Nagpur,Lucknow
Hill Resorts Shimla, Nainital,
Darjeeling, Ooty, Kodaikanal
Ports Surat, Mumbai, Calicut,
Kolkatta, Vizag, Chennai

Effects of Colonization
Introduction of Western systems of
education
Macaulization (after Lord Macaulay) of
Indian Education
Development of labor force- skilled/
unskilled

Independent India
Administrative

capitals Center &

State
Industrial Towns Bhilai, Rourkela,
Jamshedpur, Ahmedabad, Surat,
Kolar

Today
Megacities Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta,
Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad
Rapid Urbanization- rate of
urbanization increasing

The process of urbanization is still

nascent in the Indian context.
This explains the focus of global
attention on the developing nations.
There are huge profits to be made in
the process of development.